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About the Authors
Bentley Allan, Vice President, Future Economy, The Transition Accelerator

Bentley Allan, PhD, is a Transition Pathway Principal and Vice President, Future Economy at the Transition Accelerator, as well as an Associate Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Allan is an award-winning scholar who has written on the dynamics of international order, science and politics, climate policy, and the political economy of decarbonization. He provides regular advice to government and industry on geopolitics, industrial strategy, and policy.

He has co-lead the development of three sector strategies and roadmaps in collaboration with industry partners. He is the co-coordinator of the Centre for Industrial Policy which advances research and action to strengthen and mobilize Canada’s expertise in modern industrial policy, enabling strategic collaboration between government, industry, indigenous communities, labor, and financial institutions in pursuit of good jobs and a competitive economy.

Travis Southin, Future Economy Lead, The Transition Accelerator

Travis Southin has deep expertise on the role of innovation and industrial policy in facilitating the transition to a net-zero economy, with a particular focus on scaling Canadian cleantech firms. Prior to joining the Transition Accelerator, he provided analysis and policy recommendations for the Net-Zero Advisory Body.

Travis has worked with James Meadowcroft as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration. His research examined the politics of innovation policy and the broader role of the state in facilitating the transition to a net-zero economy in Canada and Australia. Travis completed a PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto working with David Wolfe at the Innovation Policy Lab of the Munk School for Global Affairs. His dissertation, titled “Overcoming Barriers to Policy Change: The Politics of Canada’s Innovation Policy,” illuminates the political barriers constraining the Government of Canada’s ability to shift its innovation policy mix away from neutral/horizontal policy instruments, such as research and development tax credits, towards more targeted innovation policy instruments, such as large-scale direct grants, loans, and public procurement.

EV Tariffs Alone Will Not Secure Canadian Competitiveness

Bentley Allan, Travis Southin

September 22, 2024

On August 26, 2024, Canada announced that it is matching US tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum. This means 100% tariffs will be imposed on EVs as of Oct. 1st and 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum as of Oct. 15th. This announcement was expected, due to the integrated nature of North American automotive supply chains. However, these measures on their own will not secure the long-term success of Canada’s EV sector. To effectively advance Canada’s competitiveness, these tariffs should be embedded within a comprehensive industrial policy.

The goal of industrial policy is to create globally competitive industries. To do that, you need to make strong investments in the knowledge and manufacturing base for technology. From an industrial policy perspective, the main effect of the recent tariffs on Chinese-made EVs is to buy time for Canada and its western allies to play innovation catch-up in driving down the cost/performance ratio for domestically produced EVs. So what is the plan to use that time to make American and Canadian industry competitive? And what elements need to be added to North American industrial policy to make that a realistic goal?

About the Authors
Bentley Allan, Vice President, Future Economy, The Transition Accelerator

Bentley Allan, PhD, is a Transition Pathway Principal and Vice President, Future Economy at the Transition Accelerator, as well as an Associate Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Allan is an award-winning scholar who has written on the dynamics of international order, science and politics, climate policy, and the political economy of decarbonization. He provides regular advice to government and industry on geopolitics, industrial strategy, and policy.

He has co-lead the development of three sector strategies and roadmaps in collaboration with industry partners. He is the co-coordinator of the Centre for Industrial Policy which advances research and action to strengthen and mobilize Canada’s expertise in modern industrial policy, enabling strategic collaboration between government, industry, indigenous communities, labor, and financial institutions in pursuit of good jobs and a competitive economy.

Travis Southin, Future Economy Lead, The Transition Accelerator

Travis Southin has deep expertise on the role of innovation and industrial policy in facilitating the transition to a net-zero economy, with a particular focus on scaling Canadian cleantech firms. Prior to joining the Transition Accelerator, he provided analysis and policy recommendations for the Net-Zero Advisory Body.

Travis has worked with James Meadowcroft as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration. His research examined the politics of innovation policy and the broader role of the state in facilitating the transition to a net-zero economy in Canada and Australia. Travis completed a PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto working with David Wolfe at the Innovation Policy Lab of the Munk School for Global Affairs. His dissertation, titled “Overcoming Barriers to Policy Change: The Politics of Canada’s Innovation Policy,” illuminates the political barriers constraining the Government of Canada’s ability to shift its innovation policy mix away from neutral/horizontal policy instruments, such as research and development tax credits, towards more targeted innovation policy instruments, such as large-scale direct grants, loans, and public procurement.

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